Tag: FFA

This 1952 Farmall H is my VERY first tractor. I’ve been wanting to get my own tractor for quite awhile. I didn’t grow up as farm kid but I did grow up on an acreage and involved in agriculture my whole life. My Grandpa had bought a Farmall M new in 1947, later Dad had it as a loader tractor until the early 2000’s when it was decommissioned due to a large hole in the rear end. Being on a college student’s budget I didn’t have the funds to purchase a tractor even in its “work clothes”. Every year our local FFA Chapter (Okoboji FFA) hosts an annual tractor ride around the lake, T.R.A.W.L (Tractor Ride Around West Lake). Being this was the 10th annual ride they sold 300 raffle tickets to a 1952 Farmall H. My father and I purchased some tickets to support the FFA Chapter. The day of the ride they were calling tickets for door-prizes. I mistakenly thought I won a door prize when I read the number on my ticket wrong, everyone got a pretty good laugh out of my mistake. It wasn’t 2 minutes later and they drew the name for the winner of the H. Sure enough my name was called. I was stunned. What really made this unique and special is that I graduated from Okoboji High School and was a member of the Okoboji FFA Chapter while in school. My past instructor/advisor was happy so see this tractor go back to one of his former students/chapter members. FFA is a great organization that teaches many life skills such as leadership, responsibility, organizational skills and allows and encourages personal growth, and career success. I can’t say Thank You enough to Rich Martin (Okoboji FFA Chapter Advisor/High School Voc. Ag. Teacher), the students in the restoration class, current Chapter members, and the man who donated this tractor as a project as well as the countless other volunteers that made such a project possible. If you get the chance to support your local FFA Chapter I strongly urge you do to so. You won’t be sorry!

We received this story from Cassandra and couldn’t wait to share it. What a great story of a young lady with a love for tractor restoration and a heart open to helping others. Please share her story, she is a great example of our youth.

My name is Cassandra Gifford a recent graduate of Eufaula High School in the state of Alabama. I am currently a part of one of the greatest organizations available to youth, the FFA. Through FFA I have been blessed with many great opportunities, one involving restoring antique tractors. Being on the tractor restoration team for 3 years has inspired me to restore my own personal tractor. By restoring my own tractor it would allow me to get my American Degree, which is the highest award that you could achieve through FFA.

In the beginning the plan was to paint my tractor pink because not everyone has a PINK tractor and it would also keep my dad from using it to plant food plots for deer hunting. As my restoration progressed I would soon find out there would be a pink tractor competition through Fastline Publications, the best pink tractor submitted in August would gain the cover of the October addition in honor of breast cancer. After having heard about the disease I wanted to learn more about it, in doing so I found out more people were affected by this than I originally thought

I figured by using my tractor as a tool to somehow educate and give people hope and courage it would make a difference in their life. I work closely with Medical Center Barbour and Relay For Life and many other cancer related organizations. My tractor has been to many different fundraising events including the National Peanut Festival, Eufaula Pilgrimage, Indian Summer, Champions of Hope, and many other events. All funds donated are put into the Medical Center Barbour Breast Cancer Fund. As a female I’m aware of the risks and the sacrifices of Breast Cancer. While interviewing several Breast Cancer survivors I found out it was closer to home than I originally thought. Millions of women are diagnosed every year. Inspired by these stories I knew I wanted to restore this 1952 Ford 8n tractor in the name of Breast Cancer.

This tractor and someone diagnosed with Breast Cancer has a similar resemblance, the tractor on the outside looked to have no hope but with a lot of hard work and external modifications there would be a second chance. Seeing the tractor for the first time in its condition I knew it was going to be a lot of work. I have now restored it to its new second chance on life in hopes it will inspire Breast Cancer survivors that they too can have a second chance on life.

Throughout my project I have been able to make so many new relationships, help those in need as well as spread the word about my love for the FFA. My pink tractor now has its place on the Front cover of the Fastline Magazine for the October edition for 2014. My tractor has also been traveling to different fundraising events all over the state of Alabama. At each event that Hope and I have attended we have earned donations for this cause and we continue to do so as we want to find the cure and end the fight.

My goal throughout this project has been to help those in need and inspire others to help as well. This restoration would have never been possible without being involved in FFA, having an advisor like Mr. Buster Padgett, supportive parents, and many others such as: Eufaula High School, Titan Tires, Steiner Tractor Parts, Fastline Magazine Publications, NAPA Bennett Auto Parts, HG Auto Paint, Eufaula Iron Works, and Herndon Tire Company.

The tractor shown in the photo’s was a ground up restoration-from one end to the other as Keaton says. Nothing went untouched. Everything was either restored or rebuilt (trying not to replace unless it was the last resort).
The tractor’s name is GRANNY and was given to him by his Grandfather to restore and show.

We would like to send you a picture of the 1948 Farmall Cub. With the products you provided, and the help from your staff we completed our Ag mechanics tractor restoration project for 2011. On June 2, 2010 we started working on our project for the 2011 Ag Mechanics shows. Our goal was to have the tractor completed by the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo. We spent the next eight months working through every system, down to the last bolt. There were many challenges throughout our restoration. One challenge was working through schedules with other school and FFA activities. Every weekend, weeknights and holidays we spent working on our tractor. We spent a total of 698 hours rebuilidng, restoring, replacing and painting. We learned so much from this project. We have already started planning our next restoration.

Join us on September 12-15, 2019 for the 44th Annual Lanesville Heritage Weekend 3 full days of FREE family fun! Craft and food booths, Live Music, Mid-way and Helicopter Rides, Festival Parade, Truck & Tractor[...]

During this year’s AE&TA show, a sight not seen since the 1920s will exist, the largest assembly of Moline Universal tractors and implements in nearly a century just miles from the Rock Island factory where[...]